Social insurance and health insurance
Social insurance in Germany covers the fields of old age, unemployment, health and nursing care insurance. Contributions are shared equally between the employee and the employer. Contributions for statutory accident insurance are paid by the employer alone.
Website of the German Social Insurance system
All employees are personally responsible for taking out health insurance. Please therefore note the following information:
Health insurance
Health insurance is compulsory in Germany for researchers and dependants accompanying them. You will need to provide evidence of health insurance in order to obtain your residence permit and to sign an employment contract. The insurance must at least cover medical treatment in the case of an acute illness or an accident. In Germany there are two types of health insurance-statutory and private.
Statutory health insurance
There is a standard rate of contributions for all health insurance. The rate is 15.5% (as at January 2011). Health insurance contributions are deducted at source from an employee’s gross salary. Of the 15.5% payable the employer pays 7,3%, the employee 8.2%. Practically all of the things that the statutory health insurance scheme provides are fixed. There are, however, differences in customer service, additional benefits and the choice of tariffs. Employees can choose whichever health insurance fund they like. If you do not choose a fund yourself the University will register you with the AOK fund.
Private health insurance
Anyone who earns more than € 49,950 per year (or € 4,162.50 per month) can take out private health insurance. In contrast to the statutory health insurance scheme contributions to private health insurance are not earnings-related but depend on a variety of criteria which reflect the risk profile (age, sex, job, state of health) and on the insurance cover desired. The more comprehensive the insurance required, the higher the contribution. Private patients are issued personally with bills for treatment which they must pay themselves before they reclaim the money from their insurance fund later.
Further information on health insurance
Important information:
- If you come to Germany on a scholarship, or are financing yourself, you can only take out private insurance.
- For EU nationals: If you are covered by health insurance in your home country you are entitled to receive medical treatment in any other EU country, as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, and to get the money back from your health insurance fund at home.
Further information on health insurance for EU nationals
